Transmission-lock.



F. R. FERGUSON.

TRANSMISSION LOCK.

APPucATlou mw 1ML?. 1917.

Patent/ed Sept. 4, 1917.

FERGUS R. FERGUSON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

TRANSMISSION-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

Application filed January 2, 1917. Serial No. 140,083.

Toall whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnuous R. Fnnonson, a citizen of the United States, residing at 2365 East 69th street, Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Impnovemcnt in Transmission-Locks, of which the following is a s ecification, the principleof the invention eing herein explained Jand the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

My present invention relates to a motortransmission lock to b employed in a novel manner if not in a novel placeas well. More particularly the idea is to lock that member in an automobile structure which directly actuates the shift gear parallel to the axes of the several other gears by means of which the varying ratios of speed may be had.

I am familiar with the many different ways that have been proposed for locking automobiles against unauthorized driving, including various resorts for securing one of the control levers. Each of these has been either too cumbersome, too accessible to violence, too expensive, too unsightly or else too readily circumvented.

Accordingly, my object has been to contrive a lock which would be ot lgreat strength, inconspicuous, indeed almost coinpletely hidden, exceedingly difficult forcibly to disturb, and yet be conveniently and easily manipulated.

I would have it expressly understood that I in no wise limit myself to this sperilic application or embodiment of my invention, which I have selected as a basis for illustrating and describing my invention merely forthe purpose of rendering a clear and comprehensive understanding of the scope and novel features thereof.

Adver-ting to the drawing:

Figure I is a vertical section of embodying my invention.

Fig. II is a section on line II---II of Fig.

a lock 'I looking in the direction of the indicating arrows and showing some ot the movable parts in an altered position.

Fig. III is a section on line III-III o1" Fig. II with certain additional parts likewise altered as to position.

Fig. IV is a section on line 'lV-ill ot Big II V is a perspective view of only detail. i

Fig. VI is a vertical section partially eut away of a modified form of my invention.

The structure chosen for exemplification in the drawing involves a locking of the two parallel shifter rods in common use to-day in gear transmission.

A suitable fixture 1 is provided with a bore 2 opening therethrough in a given direction and provided with screw threads 3. It is extended or deepened by 'a concentric bore 4 of lesser diameter. Merging with the opposite sides of the bore 4 are a pair of traverse bearings .3 in which a pair of Shifter rods 6 may be reciprocated. Each of the rods 6 is Jashioned with a groove 7 corresponding in shape and dimension with the measure of intersection of each of the bearings 6 with the bore 4 as may be seen in Figs. I and IV.

A lock housing 8 having a reduced screwthreaded extremity 9 is seated in the opening 3 and may be further secured in place by means of the locking screw 10. The housing S is hollow from end to endand its bore is largest at its 'innen end 11 where it in fact corresponds to the bore 4, so as t0 constitute an accurate continuance thereof. The remainder l2 of the housi bore is of uniform size and smaller. Intersecting the bore l2 interinediately of its ends is an opening 13, the object of which will later appear. A plunger having one extreinit 14 fitted to 'wrupying the bore 1&1 and' its other extremity 15 iitted to and occupying a portion of the bore 12 is itself provided with concentric bore 16 extending a suitable dis-tauro into its end 14. A compression spring l? is inserted into the bore 16 and its opposite end bears against the bottom of the bore 4. As so constructed and arranged the plunger may be depressed against the action of the spring 17, (i are in a predetermined position ymay oerupy the oppositely disposed groove 7 therein. In iractice the grooves 7 are concentric with re erence to each other and in line with portions of the opposite sides of the plunger when the rods 6 are in the position of rest established-by placing gear shift lever (not shown) in neutral position.

A cylindrical block 18 is fitted to and movable within the bore 12 above the upper end l5 of the plunger. It is rovided both with a slot 19, and 1n one side rom en to end with a channel 20 adapted lto be intersected by e retaining pin 21 and when the rods' inserted i through the opening 13. It will be apparent that such an arrangement precludes any rotation of the block 18 when in its normal position as illustrated in Fig. I. The upper portion of the bore l2 is closed by a keylock being fitted therein. No descr1ption of such lock is required, other than to mention that it has a central key-Way 23 and a series of laterally extendin -tumblers 24-each designed to be engaged y some particular serration in a configuration of the key 25. As is seen in the majority of the figures the extremity of the key 25 is adapted to be inserted in slot 19.

Assuming the shifter rods (i to be in neutral position, when the proper key has been fully inserted the ,block 18 and also the plunger may be depressed against the action of the sprin 17 as appears in Fig. II. It is obvious t at any actuation of the rods 6 is then obstructed by reason of the fact that the plunger then occupies the groove 7. Thereafter the key lock. may be rotated through an angle of 90 degrees because the block 18 has been carried to a position such that its u per surface is below the retaining pin 21. onsequently after the block 18 has been so 'ven a partial turn its upper surface Willglbe broughtinto engagement with the retaining pin 21 by the action of the spring 17 and held in such position whereupon the key 25 may be withdrawn, and the locking accomplished. When it is desired to release the rod 6, the key is again inserted and the block 18 turned until its channel 2() 'is in 'line with the pin 21, after which the spring 17- is ermitted to force the arts upwardly un 1l` the upper surface o the block 18 impinges against the bottom of the key lock 22.

claim:

1. A motor transmission if -or motor vehicles havin 'a longitudinally extending actuating mem er below the floor of the vehicle, comprising a 'substantially upright plunger for engaging said member so as to' prevent its operative movement, a spring acting to move said plunger away from its enga ing position, a slotted block movable toget er with and relative to said plun er and a key lock intersecting and accessi le above the floor of the vehicle to co-act with said block for holding such plunger in its engaging position.

2. An automobile motor transmission lock comprising in combination with a pair of transmission gear shifting rods, of a supporting member, a lock carried thereby and accessible to the driver of the automobile, a key insertible through said lock, a block adapted to be en aged and moved in two directions by sai key, said block being formed with' a vlateral channel opening through the top and bottom thereof, a pin secured to said supporting member and adapted to project into said channel, a plunger adapted to be engaged and moved by said block and to so engage said rods as to preclude the operative movement thereof, and means for returning said plunger to its disenaging position when the parts are unlocked.

3. An automobile transmission lock comprising in combination with a pair of transmission gear shifting rods having o posed grooves, of a supporting member fasliloned with a bore enlarged at its lower end, a lock` carried thereby and accessible to the of the automobile', a key insertible through said lock, a block rotatably mounted in the smaller art of said bore and provided above with a s ot for the reception of said key, the latter adapted both to rotate and axially move said block, said block being furthermore formed with a lateral channel opening through the top and bottom thereof, a pin secured to said supporting member `and adapted to reject into said channel, a plunger fittedJ Within the enlarged part of said bore and adapted to be en a ed and moved into Said grooves b sai block, a. spring acting against the ottom 'o f said plunger to resist such groove occupying position, the arrangement being such that said pin alternately abuts the tops of said'block and plunger, said plunger within said grooves or limits its upward release respectively.

1Sgned by me, this 28th day of December, 19

FEReUs R. FERGUSON.

driver 

